Summer is over but there are plenty of chores that can be done in the yard. One very immprtant one is soil sampling. If you get a soil sample in the fall you will have time to adjust youur pH and be ready for spring growth.
The summer is finally over and the fall garden should be producing greens and other cool season vegetables. This is a great time to take care of one of the most important chores of the year, soil sampling.
If you have ever talked to me about a crop, your garden or basically any plant problem you know that one of my first questions is, “Did you take a soil sample?” For under $10 you can get a very comprehensive report that in the long run can save a lot of time, money, time and frustration.
The biggest problem that I see is not under fertilization, it is usually low pH that causes the problem and can be easily remedied with lime. The example that I like to use is how much fertilizer you waste when your pH is too low. Most of our vegetables require a pH ranging from 6.0 – 7.0. At a neutral pH (pH 7.0) we get 100% uptake of N, P, and K. If we let our pH drop to 6.0 which is still pretty good we lose 19% of the fertilizer that we apply. If the pH drops to 5.0 we are losing over 50% of the fertilizer that we apply.
I see a lot of samples that have a pH below 6 and many that are closer to 5. With a 50 lb. bag of 10-10-10 costing around $18.00 we basically waste $9 for every bag we use. This is true for lawns, gardens, shrubs and food plots. If you start to add it all up we waste a lot of money and fertilizer just because we have a low pH.
The other benefit you get from a soil sample is a fertilizer recommendation on basically any crop that you can grow in Georgia and if you take samples often enough you can get an idea of what is happening to the nutrients that you apply. Often times we apply the wrong types of fertilizers which can cause a buildup of nutrients that the plants are not using.
You need an excuse to get outside so run by your Extension office and get some sample bags. The weatehr is nice and if you hurry the soil will still be soft due to late sumer rains. When taking samples it is best to go 6 – 8 inches deep and get as many samples as you can stand. The better the sample the more useful your results will be. Sampling now give you plenty of time to lime and raise the pH ahead of spring growth. I usually tell folks that you won’t see pH movement for at least 3 months after a lime application.
If you have questions or comments find your County Agent Here.
